Clamping means for tub liners



Nov. 10, 1970 J. F. RAMPE 3,538,651

CLAMPING MEANS FOR TUB LINERS Filed Feb. 15, 1968 5 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR JOHN F. RAM/3E avg Nov. 10, 1970 J; F. RAMPE CLAMPING MEANS FOR TUB LINERS 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Feb. 15, 1968 INVENTOR JOHN F. PAMPE- eY/ 'j jf ATTOQNEYs.

NOV. 10, 1970 F, RAMPE 3,538,651

CLAMPING MEANS FOR TUB LINERS Filed Feb. 15, 1968 3 SheetsSheet 5 Fig.8

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United States Patent O 3,538,651 CLAMPING MEANS FOR TUB LINERS John F. Rampe, 3417 Fairfax Road, Cleveland Heights, Ohio 44118 Filed Feb. 15, 1968, Ser. No. 705,646 Int. Cl. B241) 13/00 US. Cl. 51163 12 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE Clamping means for use in lining a finishing machine tub comprising (a) a plurality of elongated flanges extending horizontally, vertically or at an intermediate angle at approximately the level of the top of the tub; (b) a plurality of elongated clamping pieces coupled thereto by means of fastening elements; and (c) means associated with the clamping pieces for exerting downward pressure on the top edges of the tub lining, thereby forcing the lining into intimate contact with the side walls and bottom of the tub.

RELATED CASES Although the usefulness of the invention is not confined to a particular type of finishing machine, it will be described for convenience as employed in finishing machines of the orbital type. The latter are the subject of prior US. Pat. Nos. 3,191,347, 3,191,348, 3,231,093. 3,300,908, 3,318,051 and 3,339,316 to John F. Rampe. For a showing of a finishing tub of the kind to which the invention relates, see the copending application filed on Aug. 25, 1966 as Ser. No. 575,085, likewise in the name of John F. Rampe, now Pat. No. 3,467,319.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION conventionally, the tub of a typical orbital finishing machine has in the past been interiorly lined with a thick layer of an adherent elastomeric material such as vulcanized rubber, a rubber-like polymer, or a plastisol residue. Linings of this sort are resistant to impact and abrasion at ordinary room temperatures but sometimes develop a tendency to deteriorate under heavy-duty operating conditions requiring, or productive of, substantially elevated temperatures. In such circumstances, it usually becomes necessary, sooner or later, to remove and rehabilitate the tub itself, which is a difiicult, time-consuming and costly operation.

Replaceable tub liners have come into use in the relatively recent past; for example, composite liners consisting'of thick layers of rubber or rubber-like elastomeric materials backed by thin steel sheets. In some instances, it is possible to use as a liner a metal sheet without an adherent layer of elastomeric material, especially if the metal is itself adequately resistant to impact and abrasion. In any event, the metal sheet should comprise a tough, strong, easily formed ferrous metal alloy which in the usual case need not be greater than about of an inch in thickness. Metal sheets having these characteristics are readily available on the commercial market.

Although improved results are obtainable by the addition to practically any type of finishing tub of a metal liner or a composite liner consisting of metal and an adherent elastomeric material such as rubber or a rubber- 3,538,551 Patented Nov. 10, 1970 like polymer, it has been found that the manner in which the liner is held in place within the tub has much to do with its operating characteristics and service life. For example, if the liner is caused or permitted to stand away from the shell of the tub, particularly at the bottom, the liner is in effect suspended within it. In such cases, it becomes impossible to take maximum advantage of its inherent resistance to impact and abrasion.

By clamping the liner in place in the tub in the manner hereinafter described, downward pressure can be exerted on the top edges of the liner. If the parts are properly sized, proportioned and fitted, such pressure can be employed to urge the entire liner into close contact with the bottom and side walls of the tub, thus effectively reinforcing the liner, eliminating unwanted voids, and enhancing the life and performance of the liner.

DRAWINGS Other objects, advantages and features of the invention will be apparent from the description which follows and from the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic illustration of a preferred way of introducing the liner into the tub;

FIG. 2 is a transverse vertical section, taken as if on line 2--2 of FIG. 1, through a fully lined tub;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary enlargement of the upper lefthand corner of FIG. 2;

FIGS. 4 and 6 are transverse vertical sections through two other tubs of similar but specifically different designs;

FIG. 5 is a top plan of the tub shown in section in FIG. 4;

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary enlargement of the upper right-hand corner of FIG. 6;

FIG. 8 is a similar fragmentary enlargement of a modification.

PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION Illustrated generally at 1, FIG. 1, is an orbital finishing machine characterized by an instrument console 2, a housing 3 for the supporting and operating mechanisms (not shown), and an open-top tub 4. Among other things, tub 4 is shown as provided with a conventional discharge chute 5, a discharge opening 6 normally closed by a slideable door (not shown), and a shallow end wall 7 directly above the discharge opening. At the opposite end of the tub is a blank end wall 8. F

Between end walls 7 and 8 the long sides of tub 4 extend upward as indicated in FIG. 1. At the level of the top edges of end walls 7 and 8, the two sides turn abruptly outward about a short radius so as to form elongated horizontal flanges 9. The latter are so designed and arranged as to enable them to accept elongated clamping pieces 10. One of the latter is shown as lying on the top surface of console 2.

FIGS. 2 and 3 show the manner in which flanges 9 and clamping pieces 10 cooperate with each other. From these figures, it will be evident that the top portions of the liner project upward into zones just below the common horizontal plane of flanges 9. It will be noted that the liner is illustrated as consisting of a metal backing 12 to which is adhered a thick layer 13 of rubber or a rubber-like elastomer. Thus the liner is a composite liner of the type referred to above.

Clamping pieces 10, which will be described at greater length hereinafter, act on liner 12, 13 by pressing down ward on elastomeric layer 13. The force so exerted tends to push layer 13 and therefore metal backing 12 straight down, resulting in particularly close surface contact between the shell of the tub and backing 12, not only in the vicinity of the side walls but also at the bottom of the tub.

A heavy steel cradle 15, best seen in FIG. 2, supports tub 1. It consists of a stout supporting plate 16, a plurality of arcuate steadying pieces 17 rigidly attached thereto, a stringer 18 underlying and reinforcing plate 16, and a plurality of oppositely facing angles 19 that are bolted to plate 16 and welded to uprights 20. The components just described make up the vibratory structure; i.e., that part of the machine which, in the course of its operation, is vibrated from eccentric 21.

The semi-cylindrical bottom portion 22 of the tub is welded at 23 (FIG. 2) to bottom plate 16. Above semicylindrical bottom portion 22, the walls of the shell of the tub, designated 24, rise vertically until they reach the zone wherein they turn outwardly to form flanges 9. In this zone, indicated at 25, the radius of curvature is held to a minimum in order to permit metal backing 12 to extend upward as far as possible.

In conjunction with holes 29 in flanges 9, nuts 26, bolts 27 and washers 28 provide the desired clamping action.

From FIGS. 1 and 3 it will be noted that clamping pieces 10 take the form of inverted channels in which the walls of the channel are formed by depending lips. Of these, lips 31 are locating lips designed to bear against the depending guide lips 30 provided along the outside edges of flanges 9. Lips 32 are force-exerting lips designed to bear against the top portions 11 of composite liner 12, 13. It is the downward pressure exerted by lips 32 that forces liner 12, 13 into surface contact with shell 24. In effect, the liner is reinforced by the bottom and side walls of the tub, leaving no appreciable voids between the liner and shell 24.

In the embodiment of the invention shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, tub 34 is charcterized, among other things, by an end wall 35 comparable to end wall 8 of FIG. 3, by a generally cylindrical shell 36, and by vertical flanges 37 that flank the top opening shown in FIG. at angles of approximately 120 degrees to the adjacent parts of shell 36. Cooperating with flanges 37 are inclined clamping pieces 38, bolts 39 and nuts 40. Clamping pieces 38 are generally similar to clamping pieces of FIGS. 1 to 3; however, lips 41 and 42 are angled outwardly in relation to the clamping pieces themselves.

Locating lips 41 engage the top edges of verical flanges 37. Force-exerting lips 42 press downward on the elastomeric layer 44 of composite liner 43, 44. The action is similar to that already described; viz., pressure is exerted on elastomeric liner 44 and thus on metal backing 43 with consequent elimination of voids between the liner and shell 36.

FIGS. 6 and 7 are directed to a modification wherein the flanges flanking the top opening strike upwardly and outwardly at angles of 45 degrees to the horizontal, thus giving an included angle of 90 degrees. Tub 45 consists of shell 47, metal backing 48 and elastomeric layer 49. They are held together as shown in FIG. 7. The radius of curvature in zone 50 is comparable to that in the embodiment of the invention shown in FIGS. 2 and 3.

It will be noted from FIG. 7 that flanges 51 are provided with longitudinally extending guide lips 52. Clamping pieces 53 are provided with locating lips 54 and forceexerting lips 55. Locating lips 54 engage guide lips 52 along the edge portions of flanges 51. Force-exerting lips 55 extend in a generally downward direction to engage elastomeric layer 49 and metal backing 48. Nuts 56, bolts 57 and washers 58 complete the assembly.

In FIG. 8 a modification is shown wherein shell 61 of tub 59 is provided with horizontally extending flanges comparable to those appearing in FIGS. 2 and 3. As indicated in FIG. 8, the side walls of the shell curve upwardly until they reach zone 60, wherein they turn outward in such fashion as to produce an included angle of approximately 60 degrees. As before, the angle of curvature in zone 62 is relatively small.

Flanges 63, from which guide lips 64 depend, are held to clamping pieces 68 by nuts 65, bolts 66 and washers 67. The clamping pieces are characterized by depending lips 69 and 70, the latter of which tends to urge the liner in a downward direction. Assuming that the liner is properly sized and proportioned in relation to shell 61, this action provides reinforcement for the liner over virtually its entire surface.

In the Operation of an orbital finishing machine of the type described, the finishing media, the objects to be finished (work pieces), and the treating liquid introduced with them combine to produce a relatively high load line. Consequently, nearly all portions of the liner are subjected to abrasion, to hysteresis-induced temperature changes, and to the dynamic action of the work pieces as they rise and fall within the mass. In these circumstances, liners that stand away from the shell tend to soften, deteriorate and require premature replacement. The liners of the present invention do not stand away from the shell and therefore give much better results.

It is intended that the patent shall cover, by summarization in appended claims, all features of patentable novelty residing in the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. An open-top processing tub lined in such manner as to provide a maximum of surface contact between the lining material and the interior of the tub comprising a plurality of flanges flanking the tub opening; a plurality of elongated clamping pieces in juxtaposition thereto; depending portions on the clamping pieces for engagement with the proximate edges of the lining material; and means for urging said clamping pieces toward said flanges to exert a downward pressure on the lining material through the intervention of said depending portions.

2. An open-top tub according to claim 1 wherein the flanges extend horizontally from the side walls of the tub at approximately the level of the top opening.

3. An open-top tub according to claim 1 wherein the flanges extend vertically from the side Walls of the tub at approximately the level of the top opening.

4. An open-top tub according to claim 1 wherein the flanges extend obliquely from the side walls of the tub at approximately the level of the top opening.

5. An open-top tub according to claim 1 wherein the included angles between the flanges and the side walls of the tube are of the order of degrees.

6. An open-top tub according to claim 1 wherein the included angles between the flanges and the side walls of the tub are of the order of degrees.

7. An open-top tub according to claim 1 wherein the included angles between the flanges and the side walls of the tub are of the order of 60 degrees.

8. An open-top tub according to claim 1 wherein the depending portions on the clamping pieces take the form of depending lips.

9. An open-top tub according to claim 8 wherein the depending lips are formed integrally with the clamping pieces from which they depend.

10. Means for attaching a rubber-faced lining material to an open-top processing tub in such manner as to provide a maximum of surface contact between the lining material and the interior of the tube comprising a plurality of elongated flanges flanking the tube opening; a plurality of clamping strips in juxtaposition thereto; downwardly directed portions on the clamping strips for engagement with the lining material; and means for urging said clamping strips and flanges toward each other to exert a down 6 ward pressure on the lining material through the interven- References Cited tion of said downwardly directed portions. UNITED STATES PATENTS 11. Clamping means according to claim 10 wherein the lining material takes the form of a thick layer of a e, h 1 2,458,808 1/1949 Turnbull 24-263 X 122? iff i figgfii attac ed to a rela We yt m 5 3,183,630 5/1965 Wright 51-163 12. Clamping means according to claim 11 wherein the backing sheet is formed of a ferrous metal alloy. HAROLD D WHITEHEAD Pnmary Exammer 2,305,044 12/1942 Toews. 

